Leicester City 0-1 Manchester City
A goal from man-of-the-match Bernardo Silva won Saturday’s clash between the Premier League champions and the 2021 FA Cup winners, a result which makes it three wins on the bounce for Manchester City to take them to within a point of the top of the league.
It was a professional display from Pep Guardiola’s title favourites against a dangerous side, but Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers will be disappointed how comfortable the win was for the reigning champions. When the lunchtime Premier League updates rolled in, the news that leaders Spurs had lost 3-0 away to Crystal Palace meant that top spot was up for grabs. But while Manchester City did their bit, they have been kept off the top by their Manchester rivals, as the Red Devils beat Newcastle 4-1 with the returning Cristiano Ronaldo scoring a first half brace.
Highlights of the game
The Sky Blues dominated the first half and were so close to opening the scoring on six minutes. Jack Grealish, making his 100th Premier League appearance, worked the ball well with Silva down the flank and Gabriel Jesus met the Portuguese winger’s cross beautifully but Kasper Schmeichel stopped the header with a brilliant save. And, in a bright opening, City’s keeper Ederson was alert to stop a Harvey Barnes effort.
Silva was clearly in the mood and he had a shot blocked before working the Leicester goalie again, winning the ball some 30 yards out, bursting through and firing a shot in, which Kasper Schmeichel saved down to his left with his fingertips. Grealish had a good opportunity to stretch Schmeichel again but his shot flew over, before Ferran Torres brought the Leicester keeper into action again.
The Foxes held out for a half time 0-0 only thanks to Schmeichel, who made another fine save to deny Jesus. But, after the break the hosts should have been ahead when Barnes met a Vardy cross with the goal at his mercy, but his header clipped the crossbar and flew over. Then Vardy thought he’d scored his 150th Leicester goal when he rounded Ederson and slotted home, but the offside flag went up and he was millimetres offside.
The Sky Blues came back out on the attack and Ilkay Gundogan and Grealish were both off target when they had good chances, but finally the deadlock was broken and it was the lively Silva who got his deserved goal, keeping his cool to fire in the rebound after Joao Cancelo had a shot blocked.
Brendan Rodgers reacted and brought on Kelheci Iheanacho and Ademola Lookman, and the two combined on a rapid break, but failed to test Ederson. Manchester City should have been out of sight when Raheem Sterling fed Fernandinho but his shot skidded wide and the Sky Blues settled for one.
Key statistics
The pre-match Leicester City vs Manchester City betting odds backed Guardiola’s team to pick up the three points at odds of 1.52 and though the margin of victory was fine, the nature of the win was more comfortable.
The Sky Blues came in the game with the fewest shots on target against in the Premier League (three) and they conceded just one more as they won the shot count by 25 to six and eight to one on target.
Pep Guardiola named an unchanged side for the third game in a row in the Premier League, the first time he had done that as Manchester City boss. And with three wins he might be tempted to keep faith with the same 11 again.
None of the last 12 matches between these two teams has ended in a draw, while the victory for Manchester City was their third in a row at the King Power Stadium.
What’s next?
There’s plenty of action for SBOTOP football fans as the 2021/22 Champions League gets under way this week; and Manchester City begin another assault on the European title with a fascinating home tie against the big spending Bundesliga side Red Bull Leipzig. The visitors have made a shaky start to their domestic campaign, with two defeats and one win. Then the Sky Blues welcome Southampton to the Etihad in the Premier League.
Leicester are in European action too when they host Serie A’s Napoli in the Europa League. The Azzurri have started their league season with back to back victories, before meeting Juventus this weekend, and will give the Foxes a stiff challenge. Then Brendan Rodgers takes his team to the South Coast to face Graham Potter’s Brighton in the Premier League.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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